Wednesday 1 August 2012

IL TRONO DI FUOCO aka THE BLOODY JUDGE/DER HEXENTOTER VON BLACKMOOR (1970)

Jess Franco's thirty-third film was IL TRONO DI FUOCO aka THE BLOODY JUDGE/DER HEXENTOTER VON BLACKMOOR. It was written by Enrico Colombo, Jess Franco, Michael Haller, Harry Alan Towers and Anthony Scott Veitch, produced by Arturo Marcos and Harry Alan Towers, music was composed by Bruno Nicolai. It was released by Fenix Cooperativa Cinematografica, Prodimex Film and Terra-Filmkunst, filmed in colour, it runs for 97 mins in Argentina, 96 mins in Spain, 94 mins in Sweden, 82 mins in West Germany and 84 mins in USA. It made ESP 18,713,190 in Spain. It starred Christopher Lee as Judge Jeffries, Maria Schell as Mother Rosa, Leo Genn as Lord Wessex, Hans Hass Jr. as Harry Selton, Maria Rohm as Mary Gray, Margaret Lee as Alicia Gray, Pietro Martellanza as Barnaby, Howard Vernon as Jack Ketch, Milo Quesada as Satchel and Diana Lorys as Sally Gaunt.


The film opens with a narration. It is 1685, the king of England is King James II, the country is divided in two, one half supporting King James the other his daughter and son-in-law, Mary and William of Orange. The Duke of Monmouth, loyal supporter of Mary and William, plans to invade England via the West Country, while the Lord High Chief Justice Judge Jeffreys is dishing out his own perverse form of justice.

In the depths of the West Country, there is a pagan celebration taking place, people are dancing round May Poles, singing songs and cooking a feast. A woman living in a cave is smiling, listening to the celebrations coming from below. It seems the woman is blind and possibly a White Witch.

During the celebrations a young man walks over to his girlfriend called Alicia and together they make their way into the fields, while the celebrations continue. Then out of nowhere five men on horse back break up the celebrations, looking for the boyfriend of Alicia.

They ride off into the fields, where they find him kissing Alicia. They surround the couple and the lead horseman announces that he is arresting him in the name of King James. The young man replies, "Dam King James!" and produces a pistol, where upon he is run though and falls to the ground dead. Alicia tries to run away, but she is soon captured and taken before Judge Jeffreys.

A few days latter at the Old Bailey, Judge Jeffreys is sitting in court.



In the cells below Alicia along with a load of women prisoners are waiting to be called. The jailer comes to inspect the prisoners, when he is told what Alicia is in for, he gives the sign of the cross, which frightens the other women prisoners.

Alicia is brought before Jeffreys on the charge of Witchcraft. He asks if she has been examined thoroughly. The prosecutor replies that she has been examined. Jeffreys wants too know if she has been examined thoroughly. The prosecutor replies that she has been examined in a manner that they are allowed too, under the law. Jeffreys reminds him that he is the law and he decides that he wants her examined thoroughly, before he will proceed with the trail. As she is taken away, a blond woman stands up and calls out her name.

Down in the dungeons, Alicia is shackled to a wrack, which is being used. The executioner enters and watches, after awhile he tells them to stop and then picks up a branding iron, saying that witches do no like iron, cold or hot and proceeds to place it against her chest, where it brands her with a "W" for witch. He then says for the next test, a witch can make a dead man bleed. He takes a sword and cuts her flesh, he then takes the sword over to a dead man and cut the body, he then turns back to Alicia and says "Look! He bleeds!" Where upon she tries to protest that it is her blood, that he took from her.

In his private quarters, Judge Jeffrey is playing with his organ, not that type of organ, I know this is Jess Franco, but even he has not yet started to make those films. His manservant Palafox enters and asks him if Alicia is quilty. This shocks him, because the girl has not been tried yet. Her father was involved in the Rye House Plot, which was to of seen the assassination of King Charles II and his brother the Duke of York, latter King James II.

Their conversation is interrupted by the voice of a woman, saying she must see Judge Jeffrey's. She is Mary Gray, the sister of Alicia Gray and she has come to plead for the life of her sister.

The next day, Alicia is found guilty of Witchcraft and is sentenced to death by burning.

The following morning Alicia is tied to a stake. Mary, who is watching, pleads to one of the guards to end it quickly, offering him a bag of money if he will. Taking the money, he knocks the supports away, forcing the stake to collapse into the flames, killing her quickly.

At the cave, Mary comes and sees the blind witch and tells her here sister is dead. The witch says that see fore sees a time of madness and death, but at the end of it, she also sees a time of peace and happiness. Mary leaves the cave.

A month latter Judge Jeffery's is visiting Lord Wessex, telling him how he must stamp out the cult of Witchcraft though out the land of England. Jeffery also asks him if he knows of a man called Barnaby, who it seems knows his son and is a sympathiser of the Duke of Monmouth. They are then interrupted by Lord Wessex's bailiff Satchel, who informs them that Lord Wessex's son is in a relationship with Mary Gray. This interests Judge Jeffery's. He tells Satchel that he will staying at The Bell in Warminster that night and he wants Mary brought to him.

At Mary's home, she is having a tryst in the barn with Harry, Lord Wessex's son. He tells her that, that night he will be meeting his friend Barnaby.

Later on Harry meets with Barnaby, who tells him that the Duke of Monmouth will land at Lyme Regis that night.

That night, Satchel collects Mary, under the pretext that he has been sent to collect her for Harry.

Lord Wessex warns his son about the visit he has had from Judge Jeffery and tells him that Mary is being taken to him at The Bell.

At The Bell, Judge Jeffery's is waiting for Mary, when Palafox brings him a message informing him that the Duke of Monmouth has landed at Lyme Regis. Jeffery's decides to leave for London and leaves word with the Innkeeper that Satchel will have to look after Mary.

Latter on Satchel arrives with Mary, he takes up to the room where he believes Jeffery's is waiting, only to find the room empty. He calls for the Innkeeper, who tells him that Jeffery's has had to go to London and that he will have to look after Mary. Thinking he will be able to have his way with her, he tries to force himself onto her, but she fights back. Chasing her downstairs, he pulls her to the floor, opening her top as he does so, she pushes him backwards into the fire, burning the right hand side of his face, just as Harry enters and rescues her.

Back in London, Palafox informs Judge Jeffery's on the Duke of Monmouth's rebellion. Jeffery's says they have nothing to fear, because the Kings army is solid and will easily defeat them.

After the battle has been lost, Harry arrives at Mary's home with an injured Barnaby. He asks her to look after Barnaby, while he goes and gets some horses from his fathers estate.

At Lord Wessex's home, Satchel arrives to revel that he has become one of Judge Jeffery's men and to warn him that his son is wanted for being a rebel, but he can remain silent, if he pays him 100 Crowns.

Just as Harry leaves with the horses, Satchel spots him being helped by Sally. He asks who that was, she tells him it was boy from the village, which he does not believe and begins to beat out of her the truth.

Harry returns to Mary's to find Barnaby has been found and hung, while Mary has been taken prisoner.

We see images of torture being performed on women by the executioner.



Judge Jeffery's wakes up with a start, showing that he has been dreaming these scenes.

The women accused of witchcraft are taken by Satchel to Taunton Prison, passing the cave of the White Witch, known as Mother Rosa. Two hours latter Harry visits her and she tells him that Mary, Sally and the rest of the women have been taken to Taunton. Harry meets up with the rest of his friends and tells them where the women have been taken.

Stopping at a barn on route to the prison, Sally comforts Mary, when Harry and his men attack the guards and free the women.

Judge Jeffery is informed that the women have been rescued and that Harry was seen leading them. Judge Jeffery is a writ ordering him to be captured.

At Mother Rosa's cave, Judge Jeffery's men tell her that Harry has been captured and to save his life they need to know where the women have been taken, telling them she has accidently told them where to find him. Just after they leave, Mary and Harry arrive to see Mother Rosa upset, she tells them that she has been fooled into reveling where the women are being kept. Leaving to warn the others, Mary and Harry are surrounded by Jeffery's men and captured.

In Taunton, the Assizes are being held with Judge Jeffery's presiding. The men are found guilty of rebellion and sentenced to be hung, drawn and quartered, while the women will be examined for signs of witchcraft and if they are found to be guilty, they will be burnt at the stake, however Harry, being of noble birth will have a special trial arranged as one befitting his birth.

Latter on Lord Wessex visits Jeffery's, with a letter from the King asking for clemency. Jeffery informs him that he will make a decision based on the evidence and that could mean that he might hang him, draw him, quarter him, transport him or even pardon him, but that decision will rest with him and him alone. Before he leaves he says to him, that he wishes he had witnessed one of his sentenced carried out. After Lord Wessex leaves, Jeffery asks for Mary to be brought before him.

Mary is taken to see Jeffery. Jeffery talks to her about the affection that she has had for both her sister and Harry. He tells her that he could spare Harry if she sleeps with him. After she has done this, he tells her that he will have Harry transported to the plantations. Believing that she will never see Harry again, she attacks him with a knife. Jeffery decides that she will be sent to London for this and be tried for witchcraft.

Harry is informed that the rest of the men will be executed tomorrow, so he decides that they will try to escape. Satchel comes to gloat at the prisoners. While in Harry's cell he is attacked and the keys taken from him, enabling them to set everyone free. The men put Satchel on trial and find him guilty of foul crimes and sentence him to be hung, but Sally cries out "NO! Hanging is too good for him." Instead, she rips his shirt off and bites into his skin, prompting the rest of the women to join in. They bite and rip him to pieces.

They escape outside, only to be surrounded by armed guards, who turn out to be Lord Wessex's men. William of Orange has landed in England.

Once again Judge Jeffery's is playing with his organ. (I've told you about that before, you dirty devil). He has been made Chancellor of England, for his services to King James II. Palafox enters and tells him that the King has fled in exile to France and wants him to join him. Jeffery's says no matter who the king is, he will stay and be loyal to them. He stops playing when he hears cheering coming from outside. William of Orange has entered the City of London, to be proclaimed as King with his wife as Queen. Lord Wessex enters Jeffery's house and arrests him as a traitor to King William III and Queen Mary II.

On route to London, Mary and the other prisoners are freed by Harry and his men.

In the Tower of London, Jeffery's awaits his execution. Looking out of the window he sees his servant Palafox, hung, drawn and quartered. The shock of seeing this makes him have a heart attack, from which he dies.


This is the best Jess Franco film that I have watched so far. I must admit I do have a soft spot for historical films, so I am slightly biased on that side of things. The acting is first class from all the cast members and researching into this film, I have discovered that, where this is the Salvation DVD release running for 89 mins,  there is the Blue Underground release which is fully restored and runs for 104 mins.

So this sanitised version is a bit tame on both violence and nudity. The print is a bit washed out, like it has been in the sun too long, so the colours are faded and there is some scratching on the print, but seeing this was the only version we had, until recently, it was very good. I expect it was more for what was implied and the scenes of whipping and severed hands that gave this film and 18 certificate in Britain.


Christopher Lee was born Christopher Frank Carandini Lee on 27th May 1922 in Belgravia, Westminster, London. He has had a very distinguished career in film. His first film was CORRIDOR OF MIRROS in 1948 and he has gone on to make 200 films, the most recent being NIGHT TRAIN TO LISBON, due to be released in 2013. For a more detailed look at his career, check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Lee or his own website. http://christopherleeweb.com/


Leo Genn was born 9th August 1905 at 144 Kyverdale Road, Stamford Hill, Hackney, London to a Jewish family. His father was a jewellery salesman. Genn attended the City of London School and studied law at Cambridge, qualifying as a barrister in 1928. He ceased practising soon after the Second World War. During the war he served in the Royal Artillery, making the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He formed part of the British unit that investigated the war crimes at Belsen Concentration Camp. He started acting in 1930 on stage and made his film debut in IMMORTAL GENTLEMAN (1935). In 1951 he was nominated for an Oscar for the role of Petronius in QUO VADIS. The last film he made was SIE SIND FREI, DOKTOR KORCZAK in 1975. He died on 26th January 1978 in London from pneumonia.


Hans Hass Jr was born 3 September 1946 in Salzburg, Germany. He attended a private boarding school in Louisenlund. He dropped out of school to become and actor and lived with his grandmother in Berlin. He made his film debut in VAN DE VELDE: DAS LEBEN ZU ZWEIT - SEXUALITAT IN DER EHE (1969). The last film he made was in 1984 DEUTSCHLANDLIED. On 28th June 2009 he was found dead in the basement of his apartment building in Munich, the cause of his death was unknown.


Howard Vernon was born Mario Lippert on 15th July 1914 in Baden, Switzerland. He mainly starred in French war films, playing a Nazi officer and became a favourite actor of Jess Franco's. He made his film debut in BOULE DE SUIF (1945) and made his last film in BANQUEROUTE (1995), which was released in 2000. He died on 25th July 1996.

The Salvation DVD release can be bought from Amazon.co.uk, by  clicking the link. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bloody-Judge-DVD-Christopher-Lee/dp/B00004I9N9/ref=sr_1_3?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1343813469&sr=1-3

Or you can buy the Blue Underground DVD release, which is Region 0 by clicking on the link. http://www.blue-underground.com/product.php?product=48

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